Camp stove propane calculator
Gas One Propane Double Burner Two Burner Camp Stove with Windscreen
$119.99A two-burner propane stove is the car camping standard: two pots at once, and it runs on 1 lb cylinders or a 20 lb tank.
Check price on Amazon- Fuel burned: about 2.5 lb of propane (54,000 BTU), about 0.8 lb a day
- On a 20 lb tank that is 13 percent of the tank: 1 lb cylinders are the simpler choice at this usage
- Butane instead: about 6 x 8 oz canisters, but butane vaporises poorly near freezing
- Carry one spare cylinder beyond the estimate: a cylinder that dies mid-dinner is the usual failure
Stoves, griddles and fuel
Every price below is the live Amazon listing price when this page was built; prices change often.
CALPOSE 6 Feet Propane Adapter Hose$12.99Check price
JoChef Portable Butane Camping Stove$33.14Check price
Propane Replacement Fuel Cylinders 16 oz Camping 5-Pack$54.95Check price
SKOK 2 Burner Gas Griddle with Hood- 17 Inch Outdoor Propane$99.99Check priceSpec sheet- Gas One Propane Double Burner Two Burner Camp Stove with Windscreen$119.99Check price
Blackstone OTG Tabletop Griddle$159.99Check price
Blackstone OTG Tabletop Griddle with Hard Cover$199.99Check priceSpec sheet
Camp Chef Big Gas Grill$499.99Check price
How does this calculator work?
Propane carries about 21,548 BTU per pound, rounded here to 21,600, so a standard 16.4 oz camping cylinder holds roughly 21,600 BTU and a 20 lb grill tank about 432,000 BTU.
Stove burners are rated at full output. Real cooking spends much of its time at medium or simmer, so the default averages 60 percent throttle. Boiling pasta water at full blast for the whole session pushes that toward 100.
Cold and wind cost fuel twice: wind blows heat away from the pot, and a cold 1 lb cylinder loses pressure as it empties. The cold setting adds 25 percent, a planning convention rather than a lab figure.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does a 1 lb propane cylinder last on a camp stove?
About one hour with two 10,000 BTU burners both on high, which matches what Coleman states for its classic two-burner stove. On a single burner at medium, the same cylinder lasts three to four hours. Most families cooking breakfast and dinner get through roughly one cylinder per day.
Is a 20 lb propane tank cheaper than 1 lb cylinders?
Yes, by a wide margin per BTU: a 20 lb refill holds as much fuel as about twenty 1 lb cylinders for the price of a handful. You need an adapter hose rated for your stove, and the tank takes cargo space. For trips of three days or more, or families who cook a lot, the tank usually pays for the hose on the first trip.
Can I use a camp stove inside my tent?
No. Never run a propane or butane stove, heater or grill inside a tent or a closed car. Combustion produces carbon monoxide, which is odourless and builds up fast in an enclosed space. Cook outside, under an open-sided shelter if it is raining, with the stove well clear of any tent fabric.
Get the car camping checklist
One printable page: the full packing checklist plus our three complete setups with current prices. No sales sequence.
Used only to send the list. You can also read every setup free on this site.Researched guidance, not professional advice. Figures are published specifications or clearly labelled conventions; check your own gear's manual and your campground's rules.